Fire resistance varies greatly with plant species and factors such as age. In general:
* As the percent crown scorch increases, mortality increases.
* As the thickness of bark decreases, mortality increases.
* As the size of the trunk increases, mortality decreases.
* Young, fast-growing trees and shrubs on good sites will be better able to withstand damage from fire than over-mature, slow-growing trees and shrubs on poor sites.
To see if the plant in question is still alive, scrape off a little of the bark near the base of the main stem. If the underlying cambium is creamy and moist, the plant is alive; brown and dry means the cambium is dead.
